History 330       Mississippi History

Course Objectives and Structure:

This course is designed as a survey of Mississippi History. Online lectures and discussion will revolve around and expand upon the weekly reading assignments.  Therefore, it is imperative that students keep up with weekly reading assignments.  In addition to online lecture and discussion board, you will be responsible for video and audio clips that will be delivered through ANGEL. All films and audio clips are required elements of this course, and you should be prepared to take notes on them. Examinations will cover materials from both online lecture\weekly discussion\films and required reading.

Required Texts: Available at the Ole Miss Bookstore, or you can follow the links below to order them online.  To order by phone, contact Rob Ellis at 662-915-5899 and he will ship them if you live outside Oxford.

1. Bradley Bond, Mississippi: a Documentary History

2. Westley Busbee, Jr., Mississippi: A History (Paperback)

3. Victoria Bynum, The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War

4. John Willis, Forgotten Time: The Yazoo Mississippi Delta after the Civil War

5.  Additional readings as assigned.

1. Two Examinations (100 points each, 200 points total). Exams consist of a section of short essay identifications, and one long essay.  Exams material will come from online lecture notes, reading assignments, and any video that I assign.
2. Five Reading Quizzes (10 points each, 50 points total).  These will be short timed quizzes based on major people and terms taken from the readings.  See the weekly schedule for quiz dates.
3. Discussion/Participation Grade (50 points total).  You will have weekly discussion topics that revolve around that week's readings and multimedia.  I will grade you based on your number of posts, the level of your involvement as a whole, and your overall performance in this class.

4. Research Paper (100 Points).  You will choose a topic from Mississippi History to write a 6-8 page (between 1,500 and 2,000 words) research paper on.  Using the registration form under the Research Paper Information Folder, you must have your topic approved by me before February 17 and list your major sources before March 10.  See the Research Paper guide for details.

Grades: There are 400 possible points. Your grade will simply be the points you earn divided by 400. 

Course Policies

Attendance:

Regular class attendance in the form of discussion board participation is expected.  Excessive absences will directly impact your grade.  Missed Discussion Board posts and missed assessments will count as absences for statistical purposes.

Exams:

Exams will be taken online in ANGEL.  They will be given on specific dates (see Calendar Tab) and it is your responsibility to make sure you are available to take them during those dates (or make outside arrangements with the instructor).  You will be on your honor to neither give, nor receive any outside assistance (see below for more information).

Academic Honesty:          

I take academic integrity seriously.  The emphasis of this course is on the advancement of your knowledge of Mississippi History.  Cheating--whether it be copying off of another student's test, using outside materials (text, notes, web pages, etc.) on an online exam, or using someone else's words/ideas on a written assignment--is counterproductive, and consequently forbidden.  Moreover, since many of you will soon be educators, I will have no mercy on cheaters.  Therefore, a student caught cheating on a test or plagiarizing on a written assignment will receive the grade of zero for that assignment. *Note that I use turnitin.com (I load them, you don't have to) to check all written assignments (including exam essays).  If you have an objection to my using this online educational resource, you should drop this course.

See My Online Course Tips Sheet for more information.

Course Schedule:

• See Each Week's Folder under the Lessons Tab for Weekly Assignments

• See the Course Calendar Tab for Assessments and Due Dates